Cynthia Cooke - Lying with Wolves

“You need to come back to the Colony. Now.”

There was no use fighting it. Celia looked around the shop that she’d worked so hard to create, and fresh tears filled her eyes.

“Don’t you see, Malcolm? I finally got away. I made my escape from the Colony. This shop you’re standing in is my new life. For the first time ever I’m on my own, discovering who I am, without you. Without the other shifters. Without my—”

She paused as the finality of her words set in. Without my mother.

Fresh pain seared her insides.

“I like it here, Malcolm,” she said, pushing through the words. “No, I love it here. And here you’ve come, riding back into my life, trying to take it all away from me.”

“I don’t want to take anything from you,” he said. “I wish I didn’t have to. But you don’t belong here in this dry desert. You belong at home.” With me.

Many years ago, CYNTHIA COOKElived a quiet, idyllic life caring for her beautiful eighteen-month-old daughter. Then peace gave way to chaos with the birth of her boy/girl twins. She kept her sanity by reading romance novels and dreaming of someday writing one. With the help of Romance Writers of America and wonderfully supportive friends, she fulfilled her dreams. Now, many moons later, Cynthia is an award-winning author.

www.millsandboon.co.uk

I’d like to dedicate this book to my husband, Dale, who has taken this crazy journey with me, loving and laughing all the way.

Contents

Cover

Excerpt “You need to come back to the Colony. Now.” There was no use fighting it. Celia looked around the shop that she’d worked so hard to create, and fresh tears filled her eyes. “Don’t you see, Malcolm? I finally got away. I made my escape from the Colony. This shop you’re standing in is my new life. For the first time ever I’m on my own, discovering who I am, without you. Without the other shifters. Without my—” She paused as the finality of her words set in. Without my mother. Fresh pain seared her insides. “I like it here, Malcolm,” she said, pushing through the words. “No, I love it here. And here you’ve come, riding back into my life, trying to take it all away from me.” “I don’t want to take anything from you,” he said. “I wish I didn’t have to. But you don’t belong here in this dry desert. You belong at home.” With me.

About the Author Many years ago, CYNTHIA COOKE lived a quiet, idyllic life caring for her beautiful eighteen-month-old daughter. Then peace gave way to chaos with the birth of her boy/girl twins. She kept her sanity by reading romance novels and dreaming of someday writing one. With the help of Romance Writers of America and wonderfully supportive friends, she fulfilled her dreams. Now, many moons later, Cynthia is an award-winning author.

Title Page Lying With Wolves Cynthia Cooke www.millsandboon.co.uk

Dedication I’d like to dedicate this book to my husband, Dale, who has taken this crazy journey with me, loving and laughing all the way.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Extract

Copyright

Chapter 1

As the first streaks of dawn lit the horizon, she ran. Her paws scraped along the fine red dust of the desert floor as she dashed through creosote bushes, snakeweed and prickly pear cacti, her nose filling with the honey scent of graythorn.

She paused, catching a different scent—the tangy musk of fear. Her sharp eyes scanned the area in the lingering darkness as she searched the desert floor for shadows, for movement, for something to chase. And there it was, frozen next to a sage bush, impossibly large ears twitching, its round eyes wide with fear. A jackrabbit.

She gave chase—the rabbit’s scent filling her nose, the rapid pounding of its small heart thumping in her ears. The rabbit jumped, launching itself at least ten feet, its long legs propelling it at impossibly fast speeds as it zigzagged through yucca and agave.

Exaltation urged Celia faster. She chased the little creature while the sun, cresting beyond the stark canyons, lit the sky in an explosion of color. Power pulsed through her body, with each step rejoicing in her freedom as she raced through the morning air. She wished she could run like this all day but knew it would be too risky here in the Arizona desert, where people rose with the sun.

Then she heard the sound she’d been so afraid would come.

Just a murmur at first, far in the distance, but then the sound grew louder. Closer.

Humans.

Warily she paused, letting the rabbit get away. Early-morning campers were up ahead in the canyon. She spun, racing away. Too late. Someone yelled a warning to the others. A commotion sounded. The parking lot was just ahead. Her legs, pumping hard, carried her quickly to her car. In the lightening sky, she deftly changed back to her human form, standing naked in the cool morning air until she could reach her clothes inside.

A wolf living among humans was a bad idea. And this was only one of the reasons why. Striking out on her own, leaving the safety of the Colony, was not going to be easy. But for her, freedom from the Colony was worth the price.

Freedom from seeing Malcolm every day, from hearing his voice or sensing him in the forest when she ran, knowing he’d be sleeping with her every night—a woman who would give him the control he so desperately craved. Freedom from that was worth any price she had to pay.

Even if she had to live each and every moment hiding her true self from humans and from the demons who were determined to hunt her down and kill her.

* * *

Celia Lawson’s nerves bunched as she gazed out the large picture window at the red rock mountains. It had been almost two weeks since she was able to transform, to stretch her legs and run. To feel the sweet night air against her face, to chase rabbits and run free. She was trapped in this shop of soaps, lotions and scented candles. Transforming here put her at risk of discovery. Humans were a concern, but the bigger threat were the Gauliacho. The demons in shadow form had hunted the shifters for a millennium. They wouldn’t overlook her.

She ran her finger across the large red crystal in front of her. The only protection she had from the demons were the crystals composed of dark energy that negated the shifter’s energy signature, effectively hiding them from the Gauliacho and the lost humans they possessed—the Abatu .

The irony wasn’t lost on Celia that even though she was free of the Colony, from Malcolm, by leaving the safety of the Colony’s borders, she was now trapped in a prison of the shop’s four walls, hiding behind the energy of the crystals. Energy only she as the Keeper of the crystals had the power to rejuvenate.

She looked longingly at the mountains one last time. She couldn’t take the chance, even if her skin felt as if it were on fire. She bounced up and down on her feet, anxiety growing within her by the minute. She had never gone this long without making the change to her natural state. Was it the need to run free that had her so wound up or something else?